Film Restored – The Film Heritage Festival

The action film is a genre unto itself that has taken on numerous forms and crossovers, from war epic to thriller to superhero film. They all share a great deal of physical action, and the images themselves, or the way in which they are edited, convey high speed. This year’s festival aims to bring together diverse – including alternative and subversive – interpretations of the genre.

Film Restored 2025 also goes a step further to include submissions of films produced under particularly dynamic conditions: films shot at high speed due to financial restrictions. Or films involving stories of turbulent production conditions.

The story of action and film is not only that of action in films or during filming, but also of what action a film can generate. Historically, films have often been used as a “call to action” — as a political, social or commercial mobilization of viewers. It has often been an attempt to establish new ways of thinking and behaviour in times of uncertainty and controversial interpretations. In this way, the festival aims to shed light on propaganda, educational and advertising films. It will also include films made with an investigative aim or which seek to change public awareness and action. Films produced by the state or institutions, as well as in the context of social activism and political movements, are of interest. In addition, we invite films that were not aimed at any specific mobilization but that caused a social reaction in the form of protest, scandal, and so on.

Contrary to popular belief, film preservation requires a lot of action. Among other things, the festival addresses case studies where action had to be taken particularly quickly to save the continued existence of the films or where a neglected collection received new attention. The festival will also examine the following questions: Which new approaches can be used to reactivate historical films for different public spheres? How can different stakeholders contribute and collaborate toward the preservation and the visibility of films?